Donald Trump Wants Daughter-in-Law Lara Trump to Co-Chair the RNC

Trump is pushing to instate three of his loyalists in Republican Party leadership as the 2024 election season heats up

Donald Trump has nominated his daughter-in-law, Lara Trump, to become the new co-chair of the Republican National Committee as the party looks for fresh leadership.

“My very talented daughter-in-law, Lara Trump, has agreed to run as the RNC Co-Chair," he said in a statement on Monday night, according to multiple outlets. "Lara is an extremely talented communicator and is dedicated to all that MAGA stands for. She has told me she wants to accept this challenge and would be GREAT!”

Related: Sen. Lindsey Graham Calls Lara Trump ‘the Future of the Republican Party’

Alongside his endorsement of Lara for the RNC's No. 2 position, Trump named North Carolina GOP Chair Michael Whatley, a fellow election denier, as his pick for national chair.

The former president also hopes to instate his senior 2024 campaign adviser Chris LaCivita as the RNC's chief operating officer — though under Trump's plan, LaCivita would reportedly continue supporting the campaign while acting as COO.

Related: What Does GOP Stand For? Here's Why Republicans Adopted the Nickname

The RNC serves as the national leadership arm of the GOP, and is responsible for developing and promoting the party's platform as well as its election strategy.

A change in leadership to three Trump loyalists could help better unite the party behind the former president, who is currently ahead in the 2024 primaries but still faces competition from former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley.

New leadership could also help the RNC financially, as it has struggled since Trump barred the organization from using his name or likeness in its fundraising efforts.

Related: Donald Trump Won the Nevada Caucuses by Default, Thanks to an RNC Rule That Shafted Nikki Haley

Current RNC Chair Ronna McDaniel, who assumed the position in 2017 and was recently reelected to a fourth term, has not publicly announced plans to leave the role, though the Associated Press reports that she expressed a willingness to step down during a private meeting with Trump earlier this month.

The AP further reports that McDaniel — who is the niece of Utah Sen. Mitt Romney — plans to wait until at least the South Carolina's presidential primary election, held Feb. 24, before making an announcement.

Related: Donald Trump and Ronna McDaniel Pressured Mich. Election Officials Not to Certify the 2020 Election — and It Was Caught on Tape: Report

The former president has butted heads with Republican leadership in the past, and was reportedly furious when he felt McDaniel did not sufficiently support his attempts to overturn the 2020 election results.

And while the former president looks to install loyalists to replace McDaniel, questions about a conflict of interest would no doubt arise should Lara win an election to the role of co-chair.

Related: Trump's 2024 Veepstakes Have Begun: A Look at His Top Choices for Running Mate

Lara, 41, is married to the former president's son Eric Trump. A former producer for Inside Edition, Lara served as Trump campaign adviser during both 2016 and 2020 runs, and was one of several Trump family members to deliver speeches at the 2020 Republican National Convention.

Since he left office, Lara has continued to serve as a surrogate to Trump, often appearing on television and at public events to drum up support for the former president. (She also briefly worked as a Fox News contributor, though she left that role once her father-in-law declared his candidacy for reelection).

Rumors have swirled about her own political ambitions and in 2021, she was believed to be considering a Senate run out of her home state North Carolina, though she ultimately did not jump into the race.

She and Eric, 40, got married in 2014 and share two children: Eric Jr. and Carolina.

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